The present invention relates to a storage package for a recording medium defining a central aperture therethrough, and more particularly to a simple and economical storage package for a compact disc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,085 discloses the conventional all-plastic "jewel box" employed for the storage of recording media such as the compact disc. An elevated rest for the bottom surface of the compact disc extends upwardly from the rigid bottom panel of the jewel box. A peg or rosette extends upwardly from the elevated rest through the central aperture of the compact disc. The upper panel or the rosette defines means for contacting the upper surface of the compact disc. The elevated rest spaces the delicate information-carrying bottom surface of the compact disc from the hard rigid plastic bottom panel of the jewel box so that the disc is not scratched by the panel, while at the same time providing a gap at the outer edge of the compact disc between the bottom surface of the disc and the top surface of the bottom panel so that the user can grasp the compact disc easily for removal thereof from the jewel box. The means for contacting the upper surface of the compact disc (whether it be part of the rosette or the top panel) preclude accidental dislodgment of the compact disc from the rosette.
The elevated rest and rosette combination has been retained in subsequent generations of storage packages for a recording medium having a central aperture therethrough, as exemplified in the various patents commonly owned by the Ivy Hill Packaging Corp. including Ser. Nos. 07/698,201, 07/807,477, and 07/817,897. While the additional cost involved in providing the elevated rest and the rosette is not particularly high for a given storage package, in view of the enormous volume of storage packages produced, even a fractional cent saving in the cost of manufacture is significant. On the other hand, due to the highly competitive nature of the storage package industry, no attempt to lower the cost of manufacture may render the use of the package by the consumer more difficult.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a storage package for a recording medium defining a central aperture therethrough having an improved holder.
Another object is to provide such a storage package wherein the holder is more economical to manufacture than the conventional elevated rest and rosette combination and yet permits easy removal of the recording medium from the storage package by the user.
A further object is to provide such a storage package wherein in one embodiment the holder assists in maintaining the panels of the storage package in a closed orientation.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a storage package wherein in one embodiment tearing of a panel of the storage package is required in order to remove the storage medium.
It is a further object to provide such a storage package which can accommodate two or more storage media therein.